1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to game machines and information storage media storing game programs. More specifically, it relates to a game machine allowing, in a video game machine or a portable game machine simulating the for capturing, training and exchanging characters including those which appear to be monsters, a lottery by the properties of the characters, and an information storage medium storing a game program therefor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, a game referred to as "Pocket Monster (red, green, blue and yellow versions)" (trade name; hereinafter referred to as "prior art") designed or sold by the assignee of the applicants of the present invention has been available. The game disclosed in the prior art is for capturing, training, and exchanging characters (hereinafter referred to as either or characters). In the game, the probability of appearance of a monster is set differently for each version. A player attempts to capture or collect the maximum number of monsters and is able to exchange the monsters with friends.
Referring to a block diagram of FIG. 11, description is made of the configuration of a conventional image-display game machine according to the prior art. A conventional image-display game machine GBC roughly comprises a program source 100C and a game machine 200. The program source 100C stores information such as programs required to play the image-based display game on the game machine 200, and is so constructed that it can be connected to the game machine 200 in a detachable manner.
The program source 100C is preferably constructed as a cartridge comprising a ROM 11C, a RAM 12C, a memory bank controller 15, and a connector 13. The ROM 11C is constituted by non-volatile memory such as ROM, flash memory, and EE-PROM, and fixedly stores the game programs. The ROM 11C stores programs which, taken together, define the contents of a game. For example, a capturing program, a training program, and so forth are stored if the game is for capturing and training monsters characters such as. The ROM 11C also stores dot data of an image representing each of the monsters, and further, a program for exchanging data among other game machines 200, as required.
The RAM 12C is constituted by readable/writable RAM memory, and includes a region storing a plurality of types of property data of a plurality of characters which have been obtained during to the progress of the game.
The memory bank controller 15 divides a memory chunk of the ROM 11C into a plurality of banks when the memory chunk is too large for an address bus to address, and generates bank data for the higher address in the ROM 11C and for addressing a memory chunk of the RAM 12C. The ROM 11C, the RAM 12C, and the memory bank controller 15 are connected to the game machine 200 via the connector 13 in a detachable manner.
The game machine 200 mainly comprises an operation switch portion 22, a central processing unit (CPU) 23, a connector 24, a RAM 25, a display controller 26, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 27, an interface 28, and a connector 29. The RAM 25 serving as working memory to temporarily store data for processing during the game and the display control circuit 26 are connected to the CPU 23. The liquid crystal display 27 is connected to the display controller 26. Further, the connector 29 is connected to the CPU 23 through the interface circuit 28. The connector 29 is connected to another connector 29 of another game machine 200 through a cable when the player exchanges the obtained monsters with another player who is an owner of the other game machine 200. The CPU 23 is connected with the program source 100C via the connector 24.
Referring now to FIG. 12, the structure of a storage region of the RAM 12C will be described in detail. The storage region of the RAM 12C includes an obtained Pokemon data region DAamC and an environmental data region DoC. The obtained Pokemon data region DAamC stores data for defining each of the obtained game characters, or Pokemons, and properties thereof. The obtained Pokemons are respectively recorded and identified as records R1 to RN (N is a natural number). Each of the records R has fields I1 to I9 storing items for defining the obtained Pokemon.
The field I1 stores a monster code (or a Pokemon number) assigned for each type of Pokemon.
The field I2 stores hit points (HPs) of the Pokemon.
The field I3 stores experience points of the Pokemon.
The field I4 stores a level of the Pokemon.
The field I5 stores a status of the Pokemon.
The field I6 stores technique (possible attack) data of the Pokemon.
The field I7 stores a player ID representing a player.
The field I8 stores Pokemon's ability value such as attack power, defense power, special attach power, special defense power, and quickness.
The field I9 is a spare field for storing data other than the items stored in the fields I1 to I8.
As described above, the obtained Pokemons are respectively defined by the records R1 to RN, and the properties of each of the Pokemons are defined by the fields I1 to I9. That is, a property of an arbitrarily obtained Pokemon is represented as P (Rn, Im) (n is a natural number of not more than N, and m is a natural number of not more than 9). However, data representing the properties stored in the fields I1 to I9 do not make it possible to run a lottery.
The environmental data region DoC stores environmental data required for the progress of the game, for example, a location, a time when the game is played, and a player name. The environmental data region DoC does not store data for making it possible to run a lottery.
As described above, according to the prior art video game, there is enjoyment in the game from collecting monsters. However, it is impossible to perform a lottery on the basis of property data corresponding to the collected monsters.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game machine and an information storage medium storing a game program therefor capable of giving further variety to a game and further increasing amusement in the game by incorporating an element of lot drawing into the game, and further, encouraging the players to exchange the monsters.